Wilderness Gear Guideshttps://gearguides.net
Putting equipment to the testTue, 20 Mar 2018 02:04:25 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngWilderness Gear Guideshttps://gearguides.net
Freeze Dried Throwdownhttps://gearguides.net/2016/02/20/freeze-dried-throwdown/
https://gearguides.net/2016/02/20/freeze-dried-throwdown/#respondSat, 20 Feb 2016 05:14:26 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=81Continue reading Freeze Dried Throwdown]]>Freeze-dried meals – a staple of emergency kits and backpacking. This test, between Campfire Meals and Mountain House, is a blind taste-test of 4 meals over 4 days. We’re testing 3 of the Campfire Meal’s best selling meals side-by-side against their Mountain House equivalents, with a final round of the best sounding from every vendor available in our area.

We followed a standard protocol for each test. My wife prepared them per their instructions, and passed out a single serving of each to us while we remained outdoors. We had no insight into any portion of the prep or contents prior to noting our results.

Meal 1: Mexican Style Rice with Chicken!

From a packaging standpoint, I was firmly in the Campfire Meals corner for this one. The package is far more attractive, larger, and seemed likely to provide “more bang for the buck”.

Prep notes from my wife:

“After I added the water, the Campfire Meals Mexican Style Rice with Chicken smelled appetizing and well seasoned. It was difficult to open, requiring scissors, unlike the Mountain House. It contained less food than indicated on the package – more like 1 and 3/4 servings. It was difficult to mix due to the height and style of the bag.”

“The Mountain House Mexican Style Rice and Chicken smelled very unappetizing, but was very easy to open.”

Once prepared and served, we dug in — a hungry teenager and myself, both worn out, hungry, and tired from a day of farm work. Hunger is always the best spice, and ours had been raised to a fever pitch by my wife’s fresh-baked bread, served as a palate cleanser. I believe this well approximates the general hunger I feel after a day of hiking or hunting, so we were in the proper state of mind.

The results, based on Taste, Smell, Texture, and how Filling the meal seemed on a 5 * scale.

Meal A

Critera

Tester A

Tester B

Cumulative

Taste

* * *

* * * *

7/10

Smell

* * *

* * *

6/10

Texture

* *

* * * *

6/10

Filling

* * * *

* * *

7/10

Notes

Very loose, stew-like

Less visible meat

Would re-purchase?

No

No

No

Meal B

Critera

Tester A

Tester B

Cumulative

Taste

* * * *

* * *

7/10

Smell

* * *

* * *

6/10

Texture

* * *

* * *

6/10

Filling

* * * *

* * * *

8/10

Notes

Very little chicken

Chemical flavor, large chicken bites

Would re-purchase?

No

No

No

Winner: B

By a tiny margin – literally just how filling the meal seemed, B was the winner.

The reveal:

Winner, Campfire Meals!

Meal 2: Lasagna with Meat Sauce!

I was a pretty happy with this one. Lasagna, that’s a solid favorite, right?

Prep notes from my wife:

“Campfire Meal’s sauce was thicker, less watery to mix. Mountain House left a lot of cheese on the stirrer, and was difficult to remove from the container. Turned cold and rubbery very fast.”

“Both meals were very hard to mix, the dry ingredients had to be scraped up from the corners a lot – recommend using chopsticks to mix. Scissors again required for Campfire Meals.”

Once prepared and served, we were resigned to our fate. Another hard day of farm work, and we hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

The results, based on Taste, Smell, Texture, and how Filling the meal seemed on a 5 * scale.

Meal A

Critera

Tester A

Tester B

Cumulative

Taste

* * * *

* * * *

8/10

Smell

* *

* * *

5/10

Texture

* * * *

* * * *

8/10

Filling

* * * *

* *

6/10

Notes

Very much “lasagna”, zesty

Servings seemed small. Lots of unmixed bits.

Would re-purchase?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Meal B

Critera

Tester A

Tester B

Cumulative

Taste

* * *

* * * *

7/10

Smell

* * * *

* * * *

8/10

Texture

* * *

* * * *

7/10

Filling

* *

* *

4/10

Notes

Smells cheesy doesn’t taste like cheese.

Very cheesy

Would re-purchase?

No

Yes

Maybe

Winner: A

Taste, texture, filling – and the all important ‘we’d both definitely re-purchase’ for this one. The lasagna is basically what you’d expect from a freeze-dried trail food.

The reveal:

Winner, Campfire Meals!

Meal 3: Rice and Chicken!

Arroz con Pollo – how can you possibly miss? One of my all-time favorite simple dishes to make at home.

Prep notes from my wife:

“Very tired of the impossible to open Campfire Meals bags. Especially this one, where it was barely 1/4 full even with water.”

We were pretty excited about this one – though cautious about what sort of tortilla Campfire Meals had in store.

Ummm. Tortilla?

The results, based on Taste, Smell, Texture, and how Filling the meal seemed on a 5 * scale.

Meal A

Critera

Tester A

Tester B

Cumulative

Taste

* *

* * *

5/10

Smell

*

* * * *

5/10

Texture

* * *

* *

5/10

Filling

* * *

* *

5/10

Notes

What tortilla? Slimy. At least whole corn.

Spicier than expected. No chicken

Would re-purchase?

No

No

No

Meal B

Critera

Tester A

Tester B

Cumulative

Taste

*

* * *

4/10

Smell

*

* * *

4/10

Texture

* * *

* *

5/10

Filling

* * *

* *

5/10

Notes

Tortilla? Smells horrible. Gummy. Chicken well textured.

Tastes like chicken noodle soup. Lotta chicken

Would re-purchase?

No

No

No

Winner: A

Meal A won this one, for what it’s worth. These were both pretty bad, and nobody finished even the tiny heavy servings. The real losers here were our stomachs.

The reveal:

Winner, Campfire Meals!

Meal 4: Best Sounding from the whole range

These were the best sounding options from the whole range

Prep notes from my wife:

“Campfire Meal’s bag was again ridiculously hard to open, and barely had a full cup of food in it. 2 1/2 cup servings weren’t quite doable.”

And she’s right – look at this bullshit:

This is some bullshit. Look at the bag-to-food ratio. That little bit is ALL that is in there… fully hydrated. Compensating for something?

For comparison, here’s the bag to food ratio for the Mountain House meal:

More like what you’d expect, right? Much smaller bag, yet somehow much more food.

This time, there was no surprise or guess work. We knew what we had, and were looking a bit forward to it. Biggest surprise was how freaking long Backpacker’s Pantry takes to cook at 7,000′. Even at a mere 5,000′ (what they are calibrated for on the directions), it takes twice as long as the others.

This also goes to show – the top selling items are not the way to go. I suffered through these, but my advice is to grab what sounds tasty. Or do what we do, and bring real food. Nuts, fruits (fresh and dried), peppers, preserved meats, cheese, and bread travel better than you might think, and actually taste good. Nothing beats the smell of frying bacon, though you will need to either make it yourself or order real bacon online. Regular store-bought bacon is no longer properly prepared for travel, and requires refrigeration. Actual bacon is smoked and salted until is basically jerky – and it’s what almost everyone ate on trails until about 100 years ago.

There might be an answer – the Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Answer – a backpack that zips right onto the well-made Grip frame, but folds so small you can pack it in your base camp pack.

I will explain why I chose to buy this pack out of the thousands of available 2,000 CI (32.8 L) backpacks. I am an avid outdoorsman and hunter with quite a large range of packs. When I was looking at my overstuffed gear closet, my previous experience with the American-Made Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Solution came back to me. I knew they made a range of different pack sizes that were all designed for the Grip frame. Since the bulkiest part of a pack is really the frame and belt, and the hardest part to get fitted and comfortable is also the frame and belt, it seems so obvious.

It all clicked for me. I could follow up on my Grip frame investment with a daypack that would allow me to economize on space, give me consistent fit with an already comfortable frame, and on top of that would be made right here in the US. So I bought this pack, and immediately freed up quite a bit of room for gear!

Made in the USA and designed for a lifetime of heavy field use, this 32.8 L (2,000 CI) backpack is built around a cutting-edge modular pack system. The backpack itself has lots of pockets, heavy-duty Cordura fabric, a hunting-specific design, and the ability to expand to hold game or even roll-up to be stowed away. It goes for $475 with frame on Amazon, or direct from Black’s Creek for $450 with frame or $200 without. The Grip frame alone goes for $250. It comes in Coyote Brown, Realtree Max-1, and Predator Deception.

This review will be a little different than my usual gear review. Typically I get together with some folks and we spend 2-6 days in the backcountry hiking, hunting, trekking, camping, and putting the gear through its paces. This time, however, we decided to test two different scenarios with this pack.

Scenario 1: Standalone usage. We took this pack for a variety of hikes and a bike ride, aiming to get a feel for the day use aspects. We then took it for an overnight to see how it stood up.

Scenario 2: Deployable gear usage. We took this pack along – packed in with other gear, and then deployed it for hunting and dayhikes based out of a basecamp. Not something you can do with just any pack.

If your backpack doesn’t fit and you can’t easily adjust it, what’s the use of owning it?

This pack attaches to the Black’s Creek Grip frame, which I covered on the Remedy 7 Solution review, so no surprises there. The butterfly pads, heavily padded waist belt, and ladder like back adjustment worked just as well as before. This Grip frame adjusts just like every other Black’s Creek pack – via an adjustable butterfly shoulder system. You just undo the velcro and move the back up and down on the ladder-like setup. This worked well on the Antidote and Solution pack.

Not many 2,000 CI packs are adjustable at all, however, so for the Answer this means you’re getting all the nice comfort options of a full size frame without lugging around a huge 7,000 CI pack.

All three of our testers really liked the fit and feel of the Answer pack. To quote one tester directly “It hardly feels like I’m carrying anything”, despite having a full 3L water bladder and basic hiking gear.

The adjustable shoulder straps, belt, and butterfly pads put this backpack far ahead of the crowd when it comes to daypacks. Even though the Grip frame isn’t as adjustable as some INCH packs, it trounces everything in the small pack market.

Fit Score: 9.5

Second: Build

Durability, weight, design, layout, and comfort are all vital to a backpack

The build quality on the Black’s Creek bags is always fantastic. These are heavy-duty bags meant to take a serious beating. You can drag them, take them through canyons or sharp plants, sit on them, and treat them roughly. They’ll just stand up to abuse other packs would be damaged by. The Answer pack is no exception – the 1,000 Denier Cordura offers extremely high abrasion resistance with reasonable weight. The zippers and buckles are good and solid, I haven’t had issues with either. All seams are fully taped and sealed, and provided pretty fair water resistance. There is, of course, a rain fly pocket for the optional rain fly included at the bottom.

The bi-directional tube routing, plethora of pockets, compression straps, zip AND clip down top flap (with its additional pockets), and highly expandable design earned it top marks from me. I’ve rarely seen a small pack with so many useful details, especially not in one that rolls down to the size of a shirt.

Here you can see the zip and clip down top flap, with the water resistant liningShowing the internal pockets of the Remedy 7 Answer

Build Score: 9.8

Third: Comfort

Comfort is highly subjective, and this bag did very well with our testers

Hiking with the Remedy 7 Answer backpack

There were a few disagreements on the comfort provided by this pack. One person believed it was a little too stiff for a daypack, another believed the shoulders were a bit too wide. We all agreed it was comfortable, however. For a daypack, the Grip frame does feel slightly unusual. It’s clearly designed for bigger and heavier loads, which is why it feels optimal when paired with a big backpack.

“I found this pack to be extremely comfortable with no load or full load. The straps sit well above my shoulders, the load lifters worked well, and the Grip frame distributed the weight properly. I liked the little touches like the pull-forward straps on the waist belt and the thumb loops on the shoulder straps. These made it fast and easy to get comfortable, and it never shifted once it was set. No gimmicks, it just worked.”

Comfort Score: 8.5

Fourth: Performance

How a bag lives up to its potential on the trail makes the difference between a bag and a backpack. Can it really improve your trip, or does it just get the gear there?

The Remedy 7 Answer performed well even when handling uneven terrain

My testing buddy, who came out for a multi-day trip with a duffel bag for the basecamp and an Antidote for the hunting and day hikes had an a lot of interest in my ability to just pack away an entire daypack in my gear. He also had this interesting comment on the solution of using two packs on the same frame: “If you think hiking has a season, that isn’t the pack for you, but I need one”

I have a lot to say about the performance of this backpack. We put it through a few more hoops than usual, and it exposed some flaws and some brilliance.

The Flaws

The hydration bladder compartment is very roomy, and designed with 2 dedicated side hangers and a center hanger that also serves as a top clip for the main compartment. This is a great design, allowing for a lot of bag flexibility, but on the 2015 model of the pack there is no tie-in to the frame. This results in the top of the bag sagging and making it difficult to operate some of the top zippers unless the bag is flat. This will be addressed in the new version of the pack, and Black’s Creek has told me that they will happily retrofit this fix on existing bags, free of charge. I’ll be getting mine fixed shortly.

The pull-open zipper compartments are an excellent idea on paper, and they mostly work. This is similar to the tri-zip design Mystery Ranch is known for, and it works about as well. Which is to say that while it usually works perfectly, it fails just often enough to be annoying. I love the idea and I hope they keep it up – it just might benefit from a little more fine-tuning.

The Brilliance

The pockets on this bag are just genius. I found them to be well designed, well laid out, and I was able to organize my gear very efficiently. I have a pocket for medical supplies, a pocket for my toiletries, a pocket for my rain gear, a big roomy main container, and you can find whatever you’re looking for really fast and easily. The top pockets have water resistant backing to reduce rain penetration, and that means that you can really keep stuff safe.

The side pockets are expandable. Not “elastic material” expandable like you usually see in small packs – these things are the real deal. They are heavy duty, extremely deep, have expansion zips on the sides, compression straps, and an adjustable top closure. I’ve never felt a need to really comment on a water bottle type pocket before. You can carry anything from a 2L Nalgene bottle to a little bottle of hand sanitizer, or even something with hard edges like a folded stove or tripod and never worry that it’ll damage the stretch fabric or make it saggy.

The bottom compression straps are such a big thing for me. The simple addition of two underside compression straps means that this little pack can easily have a full sized tent, bedroll, sleeping pad, or anything just snugged up on the bottom. It really expands on the usefulness of the pack.

The Grip frame expandability. Right now, I can’t seem to find another pack that can work like this – Black’s Creek pretty much owns the market for it. Because of the Grip frame, you can take this little pack, unzip it, expand the compression straps, and fit game, gear, anything you like between it and the frame. You could head out for a day of hunting with just water and essentials, get lucky, and return with the majority of a deer strapped securely to your pack. No need to lug around a full pack for hunting.

The zip-down and buckle down top flap with pockets. Nobody ever seems to bother putting a pocket on the underside of the top flaps – you usually get a little map pocket, and that’s it. The Answer has 3 pockets in the top flap alone – a top/front access pocket that you can reach while wearing the pack, a water resistant map pocket underneath, and a long slim water resistant pocket down the inside. It’s a great use of normally wasted space.

The ability to roll down an entire full-featured daypack to about the size of a rolled up shirt. I haven’t seen any other real daypacks that can do this. The Solution comes with a little micro-daypack that is useful for taking items around with you, but it’s not the sort of thing you’d be willing to overnight with. It’s just a hiking pack. This is the whole kit and kaboodle right here.

The Grip frame itself is brilliant, and of course is what makes this all work so well.
The Black’s Creek Grip frame is the underlaying load hauler for the bigger packs, as well as being designed to carry large game quarters. Deer, Elk, possibly even larger.

Switching between packs on the Grip Frame is crazy easy

Performance Score: 9.7

Fifth: Hiking

If hiking is your main focus, you probably care about this section quite a lot. This is about how well the bag gets your gear to the site, how comfortable it is all day, and how you feel about putting it all back in the bag the next morning to hike to the next site.

View of Sedona while out hiking with my Remedy 7 Answer backpack

Hiking with the Black’s Creek Answer backpack was very pleasant. The pack didn’t move around much; it just stayed where it was put. Compared to the more traditional day packs, I found it was less fatiguing because it didn’t rest entirely on my shoulders and ride up and down as I moved. It actually rode like an empty full-sized backpack. The pack doesn’t have a tiny and mostly useless belt, but a real hip belt that actually took the load off my shoulders. The low profile of the backpack meant that it didn’t snag on anything, and stayed close to my back nicely.

There is a pretty wide range of fits and features in this size – some 2,000 CI (33L) packs are basically just up-sized versions of hydration packs, while others are purpose-built. The Teton Sports Canyon 2100 is an example of a purpose-built 2,000 CI pack. The Osprey Manta 36 is an example of an up-sized hydration pack. The features of the Answer pack are much more like a down-sized full backpack, having the stability and comfort that comes with real adjustability and sizing plus actual padding, lots of pockets, straps, and features. Like the Canyon 2100, this pack holds a lot for its size, and makes hiking very comfortable and easy. Like the Manta 36, it is very expandable. The Canyon 2100 is narrower, lighter, cheaper and more maneuverable than the Answer, being a pack purpose built to be this size. The Answer inherits the robust design features of the Solution and Antidote, coupled with the full-sized frame, making it heavier but more scalable.

Hiking Score: 8.0

Sixth: Hunting

This is where it all comes down to stealth, performance, and maneuverability – but none of that means anything if you can’t get yourself there and then get back loaded down with game.

Black’s Creek makes Hunting gear. Make no mistake – that’s their focus. The Answer pack holds up that part of the bargain better than any other pack this size on the market. It’s quiet, small, stealthy, and expands like nothing else so that you can come home with the kill.

The included bow/rifle foot works perfectly. The compression straps make it very easy to attach a bow or rifle securely to the pack, and remove it smoothly – though it’s almost easier to stow your weapon on your buddy’s pack (and his on yours) if you want fast access to it. Firing while wearing this pack is not quite as easy as it is with the Antidote, since this pack feels a bit wider, and makes it a little harder to take the shot.

All in all, this is my new favorite hunting pack.

Hunting Score: 9.5

Finally: Value

It all comes down to this. What are you really getting for your money?

I’m of two minds about the value of this backpack. If you own a Black’s Creek Grip frame already, this is an obvious buy. Go now. Buy it. I’ll wait…

If you don’t own anything by Black’s Creek yet, I wouldn’t make this the first purchase. This is not a solid stand-alone product, but rather an add-on for folks who have already invested in their other excellent gear. It’s really about leveraging a great investment and getting a lot more use out of a feature nobody else can touch.

As a person who already has an excellent Black’s Creek Solution pack, I am 100% delighted with the Answer. It is, indeed, the answer to my storage and gear versatility issues. Spending only about $40 more than I would on lousy hydration pack and instead getting a great small pack that leverages my favorite backpack frame is one of my better investments.

Value Score: 8.0

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/blacks-creek-remedy-7-answer-backpack/feed/7Remedy 7 Answer at SedonaMBOut hiking with the Remedy 7 Answer, just using it as a daypack.Antidote adjustmentHere you can see the zip and clip down top flap, with the water resistant liningShowing the internal pockets of the Remedy 7 AnswerHiking with the Remedy 7 Answer backpackRemedy 7 Answer PerformanceThe Black's Creek Grip frame is the underlaying load hauler for the bigger packs, as well as being designed to carry large game quarters. Deer, Elk, possibly even larger.Switching between packs on the Grip FrameView of Sedona while out hiking with my Remedy 7 Answer backpackSeven Cycles Sola SLhttps://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/seven-cycles-sola-sl/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/seven-cycles-sola-sl/#commentsTue, 05 Jan 2016 01:05:59 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=41Continue reading Seven Cycles Sola SL]]>Seven Cycles – known worldwide for their hand-built Boston craftsmanship. These expensive bespoke bikes are considered some of the finest on the road.

When it comes to custom bikes, there are a lot of companies to choose from. There’s new shops, long established shops, and shops that have distinguished themselves in a particular area of expertise. Seven Cycles is known best for their custom build titanium road bikes – but they have been making mountain and tour bikes for quite a while.

I chose Seven based on personal experience with their bikes, word-of-mouth, and, to be honest, a lot of hope. This bike has now done over 4,000 km of extremely rough trails and I’m ready to put my thoughts down into a proper full scale review.

Made entirely in Boston, MA from double-butted titanium, this bike is custom built for each customer. The geometry and materials are based on a combination of in-depth physical measurements and a very detailed interview or two. The interviews will cover everything from riding style to personal habits, injuries, nitpicks and complaints to goals and equipment. Seven takes building a custom bike very seriously. More so than any custom bike manufacturer I’ve talked to before. They make big vendor efforts like Trek’s Project One seem extremely inept. Seven’s custom business isn’t about being allowed to choose the paint colors for an $8,000 bike or decide between a limited range of components. It’s about having every single line, curve, and piece of tube stock be chosen and fitted to you. Personally. You can also choose things like paint of course. The Sola SL is available only from Seven and a participating dealer, and runs from ~$5,395 to $6,845 depending on components.

Like all of my reviews, we’ll cover Fit, Build, Comfort, Performance, and Value. I have personally put 4,272 km (2,654 miles) on this bike since it arrived November 2014. I’ve ridden it from Mexico to Canada, all over the Southwest, and on trails ranging from downhill and pumptrack to singletrack, aggregate and asphalt. My max touring load was 25kg (55lbs) of gear, supplies, and water.

I did a lot of heavy riding before embarking on a ride north across the the US, such as riding from central Arizona to central Nevada, hundreds of kilometers of the Arizona Trail, and quite a few actually nice rides such as Black Canyon Trail. I can say with confidence that I’ve hit the majority of terrain types on this bike now and feel I can offer you a solid opinion.

Seven at Lake Mead

On to the Review!

First: Fit

If your bike doesn’t fit and you can’t easily adjust it, what’s the use of owning it?

It should go without saying that a custom bike should fit like a glove. However, my previous experience with custom bikes including “pseudo-custom” such as the Trek Project One series has proven that it’s not a slam-dunk.

Seven put me through a lot of measurements and quite a long interview process for this bike, but I was still leery of it. What if they were wrong? It’s an awful lot of money. They weren’t wrong.

This bike was built up by Cosmic Cycles, my friendly local shop, and it fit like a glove from the very first moment. I didn’t even have to adjust the saddle height. My traditional first spin around the block showed me how right my decision to trust Seven was. In 30 years of cycling, I’ve had tons of professional fittings and even some custom bikes. Never in my life has one fit like this bike fit. The Seven Sola SL fit like a fine bespoke suit.

I’m not sure why I was surprised, but I was. Over 4,000 km later, I still haven’t adjusted anything. It still fits like a glove, and has through rain, snow, sleet, climbs, descents, and crazy trails. I used to be in the habit of dropping my seat manually for hairy, rocky descents… I don’t have to anymore. It just isn’t needed.

Mike Salvatore is listed on my Seven Frame Card as the builder – and he did a phenomenal job. Thank you.

Fit Score: 10Incidentally, the 1st perfect 10 I’ve ever given out on a review.

Second: Build

Durability, weight, design, layout, and comfort are all vital to a bike

Simple beautiful welds throughout

I was impressed with the build quality the first time I saw a Seven. I weld a little myself, and I have an appreciation for a well done weld. The welds on Seven Cycles are just like some sort of welding porn. They are flawless, even when they’re on minor things like cable guides. Every weld on my bike and custom rack is an individual flourish by a top-notch craftsman. Stef Adams did the welding, and produced a masterpiece. I enjoy showing it off to other welders and other cyclists. I’ve caused crowds this way – seasoned professionals gathering to examine a bike in a parking lot is definitely an odd scene. I’d applaud the finisher as well… but I can’t read their signature!

Build Score: 10

Third: Comfort

Comfort is highly subjective, and it’s hard to isolate

Not sure how much of the comfort is down to just the frame, but I can say for certain that compared to a high-end carbon fiber frame, this one smooths out the road chatter a little better. It’s not buttery smooth or anything, but I don’t get any numb extremities even after I’ve been on the bike for 160km in a stretch. I’ve put several long rough days in, and I’m always looking forward to swinging my leg over it again. This might get a higher score if I changed out my saddle. Hard to say.

Comfort Score: 9.5

Fourth: Performance

This is everything in a high-end bike. The road feel. The trail feel. The confidence and the handling.

Out for a spin on Mt Elden

I wish I had some amazing photo to convey what this bike feels like. I usually don’t take selfies, however, and I don’t think I have the talent to capture that feeling if I did. The import thing is that it somehow combines the lively responsive spring-like feel of a steel frame with the soft suppleness that’s uniquely titanium. There’s no dreaded titanium wobble like Merlin or Litespeed frames sometimes have. There’s no dead wooden feel like carbon fiber. When I stand up and hammer, all 100kg of me, this bike goes like a scared rabbit. If I tackle a crazy rocky mess and don’t have the perfect line, the bike is very forgiving and helps me get through in one piece. This year alone I’ve tackled big wild jumps, putting 2 meters of air under my tires, 1-2 meter drop-offs, massive hill-climbs, and lots of days when I rode from dawn until dusk. I passed armor-clad full suspension downhill riders on intermediate and advanced tracks, and then plunked the saddle bags back on to ride back to the hotel.

The only nit that I can pick is the that it’s a bit tricky to get the saddlebags on and off the rack. They just barely fit, making it more time-consuming than it really should be to bring them with you into places.

This bike performs like it was made for me. Because it was.

Performance Score: 9.7

Finally: Value

What are you really getting for your money?

Is it more than just a Name?

The Seven Cycles Sola SL is a pricey bike. It’s not at the top-end by any means, that’s reserved for the truly expensive race bikes – most of which cost more off the shelf than a custom bike does with the same components. It is, however, more than many will ever spend on a bike.

Is it worth it?

For my money, I’d buy it all over again. I don’t think a ride has gone by where I wished I’d done something differently with this bike, and that’s an unusual experience. Whenever I rode my previous bikes, even my Trek Project One 5500 OCLV, I’ve always kept an eye on what others were riding. I always fidgeted with seats, stems, crankarms. I have raced, I have done endurance rides, and I’ve ridden cross country, and I’ve never felt truly at home in the saddle until this bike.

Yes, I’d replace the saddle. The one I have didn’t handle rain well, and it’s a bit too squishy. The rest of the bike, however, I just adore. I finish rides with only muscle soreness. Long gone are the numb hands and toes. Long gone is the shifting position constantly.

What is it worth to you to buy possibly the last hardtail mountain bike you’ll ever buy?

To me, just losing the discomfort and pain is worth the cost.

Value Score: 9.8

Salt River Pass, WY

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/seven-cycles-sola-sl/feed/5Seven in CanadaMBThe Sigma BC800 from my Seven Cycles Sola SL. 4,272 km so far. Not bad.Seven at Lake MeadSeven CraftersSimple beautiful welds throughoutSeven Frame tackingOut for a spin on Mt EldenIs it more than just a Name?Salt River Pass, WYTeton Sports Escape 4300https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-escape-4300/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-escape-4300/#respondTue, 05 Jan 2016 01:01:47 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=38Continue reading Teton Sports Escape 4300]]>4,000 Cubic Inches is transitional size for backpacks – when you need to stay out longer than a weekend trip, but you’re not ready to commit to a full size INCH pack. Perhaps just a weekend trip in winter with bulky gear. Maybe you need to get far enough into the backcountry to get some alone time.

The market is pretty crowded in this area. You’ve got the weekender packs from 3,000 CI to 4,000 CI, the big INCH (I’m Never Coming Home) packs starting about 4,700 CI, and there’s options at every weight and price point. The ideal pack would be as light as a weekender, much cheaper than an INCH pack, and able to expand or contract to fit the bulky items that pushed you up to this range in the first place. Into the fray comes the Escape 4300 offering from the ever-innovative Teton Sports.

Made in China with a focus on weight and cost, this 70L (4300 CI) pack weighs only 2.5kg (4.5lbs) and is aimed squarely at budget and weight-conscious hikers. It goes for $94 from Amazon, or $129 directly from Teton Sports. It comes only in Green.

Here’s the specs from the manufacturer:

Capacity: 4300 Cubic Inches (70 L)

Pack Weight: 4.75 lbs (2.5 kg)

Shell: 420D 2MM Squared Double line Ripstop / 600D PU / 900D PU

Dimensions: 33″ x 17″ x 12″ (83.8cm x 43.2cm x 30.5cm)

Water Bladder pouch: 101-Ounce (3 L). Bladder Not Included

Color: Leaf Green

Waist Belt: 28″ – 45″ (71cm – 114.3cm)

Torso Length: Adjustable 17″ – 21″ (43cm – 53cm)

Sleeping bag compartment

4 compression straps

7 pockets

Map pocket under lid

Rainfly included

This review will be a lot like the previous pack reviews, and cover these sections: Fit, Build, Comfort,Performance, Hiking, and Value. This was done by two people over a three day hiking trip. We covered a lot of ground, little of it flat. We were hiking, re-loading, and swapping packs nightly to get a good comparison. This means both of us got a chance to carry the pack under typical loads. We covered about 32 km (20 miles) of ground and 670 m (2200 feet) of elevation going up the Arizona Trail from Sunset Trailhead over the San Francisco peaks to Kelly Tank. My wife has also been using this pack as her primary camping pack for months, including snowshoeing in Taos and our cross-US trip, so we’ve spent quite a lot of time with this bag behind the camera.

For this trip, we carried the majority of our gear in the Escape 4300. This included 5 liters of water, 4 days of food for 2 people, the roomy Teton Sports Mountain Ultra 2 tent, a dry bag with my basic clothes and the tablet I wrote this review on, and our usual supplies. Fully loaded, we had it sitting at just under 18kg. Ideal testing weight for a bag this size.

Snowshoeing with the Teton Escape 4300

On to the Review!

First: Fit

If your backpack doesn’t fit and you can’t easily adjust it, what’s the use of owning it?

Teton Sports Escape 4300 at Kelly Tank

The fit of the Teton Sports Escape 4300 is quite adjustable, and I found no issues with it, nor the other two folks using it. It adjusts comfortably for my wife, my son, and myself – 5′ 10″ to 6′ 3″ with no difficulties at all. It was easy to snug down an average load, and carried it well. The hip belt in particular deserves praise – it is like a more advanced version of the excellent split-belt design on the Teton Sports Hiker 3700, and it was very comfortable.

Second: Build

Durability, weight, design, layout, and comfort are all vital to a backpack

Escape 4300 in camp

The build quality for the Teton Sports Escape 4300 is very good overall. The seams are well taped, there is decent water bottle tube routing, the bag is moderately water resistant with an included rain fly, and it loads and carries well. It is definitely built better than the packs I examined at its very low price point. Weight and cost saving measures are noticeable, but they don’t really cause any issues. There are several quality touches, such as the gear loops, belt pouch, and extra straps top and bottom. I found that my water tube was just barely long enough, so you may want to take that into consideration.

We’ve been using this bag under many conditions for quite some time, and it has minimal wear. These photos pretty clearly illustrate the condition of this year-old pack.

Third: Comfort

Comfort is highly subjective, but this bag was good for everyone

All three of us find this bag very comfortable. The straps are wide and pretty well padded. The hip belt is very adjustable, with that split system that allows good movement and snug fit. The lumbar support and adjustable backpack slats made for a very custom feel. All of us, regardless of size or shape, rated the bag well on comfort. I’ve had better, I’ve had much much worse. I’ve never had a bag this cheap be this comfortable.

Fourth: Performance

How a bag lives up to its potential on the trail makes the difference between a bag and a backpack. Can it really improve your trip, or does it just get the gear there?

Teton Sports Escape 4300 on the Arizona Trail

I really enjoyed my trip with this bag. I was carrying nearly all the gear for our entire group, but it didn’t bother me. This bag did an excellent job when fully loaded, and in the snow it did an excellent job fitting all the over-sized warm weather clothing my wife required for sub-zero temps. We treated it roughly on the trip across the US, the bag stood up to everything.

It’s my wife’s favorite bag to take camping, and that’s saying something. She is very picky about her gear. This is the first backpack she’s been able to carry up mountains, hotel steps, and load/unload from a Jeep without complaint. It’s easy to load, easy to unload, and takes whatever is tossed at it.

The sleeping bag compartment will hold even the large Leef 0 degree sleeping bag, and there’s room aplenty to pack everything you need for a trip ranging from 2-4 days without issue. The pockets are pretty well laid out, and I think the only thing missing is an easy way to to secure a bear bag.

Fifth: Hiking

If hiking is your main focus, you probably care about this section quite a lot. This is about how well the bag gets your gear to the site, how comfortable it is all day, and how you feel about putting it all back in the bag the next morning to hike to the next site.

Snowshoeing with the Teton Escape 4300

This bag is ideal for hikers who are weight and/or budget conscious, but want to get that long backpacking trip in. It has a traditional backpack style fit, excellent layout, a very narrow profile, and it rides nicely. There is no doubt in my mind that this is an excellent hiking pack.

Finally: Value

What are you really getting for your money?

For under $94 from Amazon, or $129 directly from Teton Sports, you are getting a bag that is easily the best out there for the money. I’d say this bag is easily worth $200. It’s well-built, well-designed, has a lifetime warranty, and will probably last through whatever adventures you have planned for it.

Will it last the rest of your life? Probably not. It will, however, outlast any other 4,000 CI bag under $150. I’d rate this one a great value for money.

Teton Escape after a long day on the trail

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-escape-4300/feed/0Pebble at the lakeMBSnowshoeing with the Teton Escape 4300Teton Sports Escape 4300 at Kelly TankTeton Sports Escape 4300 on the Arizona TrailSnowshoeing with the Teton Escape 4300Teton Escape after a long day on the trailPebble Time Steelhttps://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/pebble-time-steel/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/pebble-time-steel/#respondTue, 05 Jan 2016 00:57:17 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=35Continue reading Pebble Time Steel]]>The smartwatch market is more saturated then ever, but can they stand up outside the world of skinny jeans and plaid shirts?

Let’s take a look at the new Pebble Time Steel… in the backcountry.

I chose the Pebble Time Steel for this review because Pebble was really the first to market with a truly outdoor usable smartwatch, launched by a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign in 2012. I was an early adopter then, seeing the potential for an e-paper/lcd based smartwatch. Since then, the market has been filled with all sorts of smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other forms of wrist candy. Most of them lack the waterproofing, usefulness, durability, and sunlight readability required to survive in the backcountry. The Pebble Time Steel is latest offering by Pebble, so it’s time to get it into the field and see how it does.

This is the steel version of the new Pebble Time. This version has more durability, more battery, 50 meters of water resistance, and leather or steel watch bands. Unlike the previous Pebble, it has a color e-paper/e-ink display. This latest Pebble goes for $250 with a leather band, only $50 more than the plastic version.

Here’s the specs from the manufacturer:

10 day battery life

CNC-finished 316L stainless steel casing

59g with included leather strap

Color e-paper display and microphone for responding to notifications

Compatible with all 6,500+ existing Pebble apps and watchfaces

Fits any standard 22mm watch band

Android 4+ and iOS 8+

This review will be a lot like the previous gear reviews, and cover these sections: Fit, Build, Comfort, Performance, Hiking, and Value. This is being done over a two week period, with a mix of multi-day hiking trips, cycling, and around town. I took this watch down to Black Canyon to camp in extremely hot weather, and up to the summit of Humphrey’s Peak to see how it handled the 12,633′ elevation. It went cycling across the mountains and valleys in Sedona and Flagstaff, trekked with me in the monsoon rains, and got used in every situation I could find in these two weeks. I wasn’t able to take it for any dives, unfortunately. Perhaps in a follow up.

On to the Review!

First: Fit

This shouldn’t be an issue with a watch – but smartwatches can be unnaturally large

Pebble in the Rain – not much rain, this is Arizona after all

The Pebble Time Steel is a large watch, but the slightly curved back, rounded edges, and fairly low profile keep it snug and comfortable on my wrist. I wore it on the 3rd hole, my wife on the 5th hole, and it was comfortable the whole test through. There were no sharp edges to snag or screw-on backs to catch on my arm. In comparison to the Galaxy Gear, Microsoft Band and the Apple Watch, this was by far the most comfortable. Both the Galaxy Gear and the Apple Watch were obnoxiously sized and shaped, and the Band is exceptionally stiff and feels like losing a bet. The Pebble Time Steel feels like… well, a watch.

Second: Build

Durability, weight, design, layout, and comfort are all vital features in equipment such as this

To be honest, this has been done to death by every skinny jean wearing tech journalist on the internet. I’m going to cover this from the perspective of an outdoorsman, so you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want things like “premium feel” or whatever.

The Pebble Time Steel seemed well thought out and assembled. The buttons have a nice firm click, and the quick springs for replacing the watch band are as easy to use as you’d expect. In the slight rain, this watch didn’t leak. In the heat of Black Canyon (102F/39C) it didn’t discolor or go blank. It didn’t care at all what altitude I took it up to. The color e-paper display was flawlessly readable in direct sunlight, indoors, and even at night (with a quick flick of the wrist to activate the backlight). I didn’t baby this watch at all – I wore it like a watch. It was played with hard, put away wet, and treated like any other piece of gear.

At the end of two weeks, it had no noticeable scuffs or scratches, the battery worked, and it held up just like any watch would be expected to.

Third: Comfort

Comfort is highly subjective, but a watch really just needs to fade away, not draw attention to itself.

The Pebble Time Steel faded quickly into the background for me within a day or two of wearing it. This is about the highest compliment I can give to a piece of kit that you have to wear for hours on end. Some watches are big and chunky, catch on things, or constantly rub or pinch and cause you to notice them. This watch was essentially invisible to me except for the subtle buzz of a rare notification, or the instinctive act of checking the time. I found it to be very pleasant to wear, and it has become my go-to watch.

Fourth: Performance

Now we get to the meat and potatoes of this smartwatch – what separates a smartwatch from any regular dime store watch

The Pebble Music app – full daylight

I’m going to break performance down into a few sub-sections here, because this really is what a smartwatch is all about. If I just wanted to tell the time, I’d look at my mobile or any $5 chronometer.

Fitness tracking

Everyone seems obsessed with fitness tracking, sleep tracking, calorie tracking, and such these days. Yes. There are a number of major fitness apps and accessories like Jawbone, Fitocracy, Runkeeper, and Misfit to track everything I could even imagine.

Apps

There are over 65,000 apps. It’s almost crazy. I went into this planning to build an app just for fun – but I couldn’t find anything that didn’t already have an app!

The big favorites, such as timers, stopwatches, calendars, messaging, and music players are pre-loaded on the watch. I used the timers frequently for laundry and workouts. The event/calendar views were pretty unique and quite useful. My absolute favorite is the music app. I use Spotify quite a lot while I’m driving, and being able to skip, replay, stop/start, and adjust volume just with a momentary touch of my watch was fantastic. That’s the kind of hands-free I can really use!

3rd party app support was excellent. I used Ventoo frequently to create GPX files, as well as to function as a simple bike computer. With Ant+ accessories, it could have handled heartrate and cadence as well. I just didn’t use those. The Ventoo app worked quite well as it was, providing speed, distance and averages and more right there on my wrist or handlebars. It also allowed me to tweak the GPS polling interval to below 3 seconds for speedometer type use or up to 30s for simple hiking type use.

Gaming and entertainment options abound for the Pebble – however I think most of us have better things to do with our time than play on a watch. I’ll nod to it in passing, and say that if playing things like Pac Man or Pixel Miner on a watch is your thing – you’re covered.

Watch faces

Now, this is a thing I really like. I expect most people will play with the watch faces a bit, especially since it’s so easy to find new ones via the Pebble app, or even create them from scratch. I’ve made a few over time – for the original Pebble, and now some color ones for the new Pebble Time Steel. I was actually impressed by how good the color really is, as demonstrated in this Jupiter watch face I whipped up in a few minutes.

Faces are easy and quick to change from either the phone or watch, and you can really just knock yourself out with them. Classy, bold, nerdy, esoteric, complicated, simple – it’s up to your mood at the moment. Not unusual with a smartwatch, but certainly very easy to do. Certainly easier to build, switch, and share than with Apple Watch or Galaxy Gear.

Messages

The Pebble Time Steel has some good integrated messaging. With a little customization, you can get a soft vibrating alert to just the messages or notifications that matter to you. You can be fairly picky, or have just about everything go to your wrist. For myself, I’m extremely picky. Phone calls, texts from specific people or with specific phrases, and google wallet transactions are all that I want to be notified of. This means that I have fine-grained control over what interrupts me and what doesn’t.

Quick reply messages are customizable and somewhat useful, but I only found myself using them on the trail. Everywhere else it was more convenient to just use my mobile to reply at a better time.

Setup and Use

Setting up the Pebble with my Android phone was a simple matter of installing the app from the Google Play store, then clicking a couple buttons. It took less than one minute and couldn’t really have been easier. I spent probably 15 minutes poking around inside the app learning about options, and then several more minutes browsing for watch faces.

Bluetooth can be turned off and on – this is a big deal for me. I don’t like being disturbed at night, so I always set my mobile to airplane mode. The Pebble Time Steel reconnected seamlessly in the morning and gave me no issues. This probably also has something to do with the very low battery impact.

Pushing new apps and deleting old apps is really simple and easy, I ran into no issues at all with this.

The “past”, “present”, “future”, “back” buttons were pretty intuitive, worked well, and gave me no troubles. The only place I had any issues was in the Ventoo app, which required me to push back twice. This was a design choice by Ventoo, and sort of annoying.

Pebble App

Performance overall was excellent. I was very pleased with how well the Pebble Time Steel fit into my day-to-day activities, and it felt like it actually helped. There is nothing that screamed “vital, must-have” about the smartwatch, but I think that if you’re in the market for a smartwatch it is a great choice.

Battery bite

The Pebble didn’t seem to hit the battery on my phone too badly, but the Ventoo GPS app sure did. My phone’s battery time was several days shorter than usual. Part of this was taking pics for this review – but not sure that accounted for all of it. Android OS and Android System jumped up into the battery usage where they never had before. Is this where the bluetooth drain hides?

Battery life before, and during this review.

Battery life before and after Pebble

Fifth: Hiking/Biking

This is about how well the watch stands up to the rigors of hiking and biking. The battery life, the backlight, the durability.

Pebble screen showing the color and readability in direct sunlight

Taking this watch hiking was quite pleasant. It was nice to be able to leave my mobile packed pretty much the entire time, and have the watch provide all the info I’d normally lean on a mobile for. Direction, time, elevation, etc. There were even weather alerts, but on the mountain those tend to come quite a bit after the fact.

I especially enjoyed using it as a bike computer. Most bike computers are fabulously expensive and really overpriced. The GPS capable ones in particular are horrible. You spend hundreds of dollars to poorly replicate basic smartphone features, just so that you don’t have to subject your mobile to mud, dirt, rain, or crash damage. This is probably the best use case for the Pebble. It’s less expensive than most of the bike computers, it’s perfectly readable in full sunlight or in the dark, and it shrugs off rain and mud with impunity. My mobile stayed comfortably packed in my camera bag the whole time I was riding. I used the Pebble for speed, distance, direction, waypoints, maps, and altitude. If you listen to music on the trail for some reason, you could even control that via the Pebble. I don’t – but I realize some folks like to. Plus, you can read/reply to any texts or alerts right there on your handlebars instead of having to dig out your mobile.

Without a doubt this is a great companion device for cyclists.

Finally: Value

What are you really getting for your money?

Pebble screen showing the indoor readability

Let’s be frank. Nobody needs a smartwatch. It’s even less useful than a smartphone. Smartwatches can be useful for helping to filter the torrent of junk information pushed at us, and especially good at being an outboard for an expensive device.

Comparing the Pebble Time Steel to Galaxy Gear, the Apple Watch, or the Microsoft Band, it is far and away the winner for outdoors use. Battery, daylight visibility, and ease of use in gloves or underwater make it a slam dunk.

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/pebble-time-steel/feed/0Pebble at the lakeMBPutting the Pebble timer app to good useAlong the Schultz Loop TrailPebble in the Rain - not much rain, this is Arizona after allPebble Music AppPebble AppBattery life before and after PebblePebble direct sunlightPebble screen showing the indoor readabilityTesting ultralight backpacking optionshttps://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/testing-ultralight-backpacking-options/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/testing-ultralight-backpacking-options/#respondTue, 05 Jan 2016 00:54:34 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=31Continue reading Testing ultralight backpacking options]]>This time we’re doing a test for a very common scenario. Can you get by with using your daypack for an overnight on the trail?

This time the competition will be between 2 bag sizes. The Teton Sports Oasis 1200, and the Teton Sports Summit 2800. Both under 2kg. Both under $70. Both can transition from Town to Trail. Both are tempting ultralight backpacking options.

Weighing in at 1 kg (2.25 lbs) and going for $56 on Amazon, this is a 19.65L 1,200 CI small daypack. It comes with a built-in rainfly, 3L hydration bladder, and in Blue/Gray or Black/Orange.
Basic specs from the manufacturer:

Weighing in at 1.5 kg (3.2 lbs) and going for $69 on Amazon, this is a 45L 2,800 CI large daypack. It comes with a built-in rainfly, 3L hydration bladder, and in your choice of Gray.
Basic specs from the manufacturer:

420D Double Line Ripstop

Pack Weight: 3.2 lbs (1.5kg)

Hydration Capacity: 101-Ounce (3 Liter) Bladder, Not Included

Capacity: 2,800 Cubic Inches / 45 Liters

Waist Belt: 26″ – 60″

Torso Length: 19.5″

Dimensions: 26.5″ x 13″ x 10″

The Challenge: 2 trips in the backcountry

I took the bags on 2 separate overnight trips:

Trip 1 was a ride over the San Francisco Peaks on the Stagecoach trail – a favorite of mine. Lots of elevation, lots of time on the trail.

Trip 2 was a trek through Walnut Creek. Very little elevation, but much more time on the trail.

Assorted food. Food is super personal, but I like to do a mix of bagged Indian Food, preserved meats, cheeses, peppers, hard baked biscuits, tortillas, granola bars and mountain house. I also bring (packed in my cook pot) lots of spices.

My ultralight camping loadout for a one-nighter trip packed up in a Teton Sports Summit 2800

As far as capacity goes – there’s no contest, obviously. The Summit 2800 is twice the size of the Oasis 1200. There’s more to this than capacity, of course. Having proven that it is indeed possible to overnight in even a small daypack – let’s get to the conclusions!

Under load, the Oasis 1200 was a bit awkward, but still pretty comfortable. I fidgeted a bit with the sleeping bag at stops, but the pack held up just fine and it was well worth it. In hotter weather, the sleeping bag would be perhaps half this size – and then it’d be more than adequate.

The Summit 2800 was much better suited to this gear, and could have carried more. There’s issues with padding on the straps and the waist, but I think it was clear that this size pack, if not this pack itself, is the way to go.

Conclusion:

You can absolutely do ultralight backpacking in a Teton Sports Oasis 1200, especially in hot weather. But I would recommend you go one size up, and look into a 2800 or better. The 500g is well worth it.

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/testing-ultralight-backpacking-options/feed/0Oasis in Sedona 4MBEarly Snow on Humphrey's PeakMy ultralight camping loadout for a one-nighter tripMy ultralight camping loadout for a one-nighter trip packed up in a Teton Sports Oasis 1200My ultralight camping loadout for a one-nighter trip packed up in a Teton Sports Summit 2800Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Solutionhttps://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/blacks-creek-remedy-7-solution/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/blacks-creek-remedy-7-solution/#respondTue, 05 Jan 2016 00:47:26 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=28Continue reading Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Solution]]>The big bag. The one you’ll take across continents or on multi-week treks across wilderness. The bag that says you’re serious enough about this trip to require a passport and general delivery. The I’m Never Coming Home (INCH) pack. This time – the Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Solution. Is it the solution for you?

When you’re ready to buy a backpack that’ll last more than a season, something you can really rely on when the chips are down – you don’t go to your local mall or big box store. You need something with a lifetime warranty made of the best materials with the best craftsmanship. I have just finished a short 4 day trek with the Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Solution in rain, wind, lightning, and sun and I’m ready to share first impressions. Naturally, there will be followups over the next few hundred kilometers.

This 100% US-Made backpack weighs in at a hefty-seeming 4kg (9lbs). It is designed to handle massive loads of gear and game, more than my knees can handle. It goes for $500 complete in Coyote Brown, Realtree Max-1 camo, or Predator Deception camo. That’s for the complete frame and pack – it’s only $250 if you already own the Grip frame, but more on that later.

This review will be a lot like the previous pack reviews, and cover these sections: Fit, Build, Comfort, Performance, Hiking, and Value. This is being done by two people over a four day hiking trip, so we’ll be covering ground, hiking then re-loading and swapping packs half-way through to get a good comparison. This means both of us got a chance to carry the pack under heavy loads. We covered about 32 km (20 miles) of ground and 670 m (2200 feet) of elevation going down the Arizona Trail from north-west of the San Francisco peaks down to Marshall Lake.

We carried a LOT of gear. Honestly, far too much. I was able to fit my usual load-out into this pack with so much room to spare it was laughable, so in order to test it properly I then added my wife’s usual load-out as well, a 2-person tent (the Teton Sports Mountain Ultra 2) plus extras of everything. With water and far too much food, that brought my pack weight up to 20kg (44lbs). This was not happy going on my knees, so I plan to never carry this much again – but there’s no doubt this pack will carry everything including the kitchen sink.

A rainy monsoon-filled weekend in northern AZ

On to the Review!

First: Fit

If your backpack doesn’t fit and you can’t easily adjust it, what’s the use of owning it?

This pack adjusts just like every other Black’s Creek pack – via an adjustable butterfly shoulder system. You just undo the velcro and move the back up and down on the ladder-like setup. This worked well on the Antidote pack, but it’s not as adjustable as some of the other packs. It is however, a lot simpler.

There were no fit or comfort issues with my pack. The weight was a bit much for me to carry this distance, but the backpack itself couldn’t have cared less.

Second: Build

Durability, weight, design, layout, and comfort are all vital to a backpack

This pack lives up to exactly what I want from gear Made in the USA. It was fully taped for proper water resistance, well thought out, versatile, and solid.

Let’s go over some of the basics:

It has a great little daypack for taking water and basic items while stalking, tracking, or doing a little sight-seeing. The daypack has the huge centerline zip, plus some pockets on the other side. It also serves to stabilize the pack when you’re hauling out game.

These yellow tabs and the great zipper pulls make it super easy to work with, the buckles are small but solid.

This daypack unclips from the Remedy 7 Solution to make it easier to take water and essentials around without lugging your whole pack

There’s also the Grip frame itself – similar in concept to the Mystery Ranch NICE frame, but far better in implementation.

The Black’s Creek Grip frame is the underlaying load hauler for the bigger packs, as well as being designed to carry large game quarters. Deer, Elk, possibly even larger.

As you can see here, and in a great little video on the Black’s Creek website, the Grip frame is not only extremely fast and easy to access (just 2 zippers and 4 clips), it also has a well-designed shelf and straps for carrying game. It takes just a moment to add/remove a pack from this, swap a different pack onto it, or load it up with game and then reattach your gear. Superb, absolutely superb. I hope the other companies are taking notes, because they just got schooled.

The Solution pack itself boasts exceptional storage room, lots of pockets, an easily removable top bag with an interior well-sealed map pocket, and every single amenity I could think of asking for. The hydration routing works well, and it can carry 2 bags side by side, but one hangs just fine if you pack the gear around it well.

The sleeping bag compartment with built-in water resistant stuff sack worked really well to compress and protect my spring/fall sleeping bag even in the rain.

Third: Comfort

Comfort is highly subjective, but for once we agreed entirely

I found this pack to be extremely comfortable with no load or full load. The straps sit well above my shoulders, the load lifters worked well, and the Grip frame distributed the weight properly. I liked the little touches like the pull-forward straps on the waist belt and the thumb loops on the shoulder straps. These made it fast and easy to get comfortable, and it never shifted once it was set. No gimmicks, it just worked. I’d like to be able to say more, but my feet still ache from carrying all that weight over that giant mountain.

Fourth: Performance

How a bag lives up to its potential on the trail makes the difference between a bag and a backpack. Can it really improve your trip, or does it just get the gear there?

Out during a monsoon with the Black’s Creek Remedy 7 Solution pack. Room for everything and then some

It rained on us, thunder rolled all around, and we almost got caught above the treeline by lightning. I was always optimistic that the rain would pass quickly, eschewing my rain fly or rain gear. It never passed quickly. Despite my stubbornness, I came through it with no leaks in my pack. The only wet things were the ones I was wearing. All of my gear performed exceptionally well – I just couldn’t have been happier. The pack didn’t chafe when it was damp, and dried out quickly when the rain did let up.

My enormous 2-man tent disappeared into the cavernous mouth of the Solution without a trace, which kept it well secured and completely out of the rain. Thanks to dry nights, I never had to worry about putting wet gear back in. 4 complete outfits fit easily, along with my mess tent and large med kit. There was nothing I had to debate leaving behind when I packed this bag. The side zippers had good access to the interior and didn’t even leak.

I took no special cautions with tree branches, rocks, or setting it down willy-nilly. Not a scuff or mark mar the 1000 Denier exterior.

Fifth: Hiking

If hiking is your main focus, you probably care about this section quite a lot. This is about how well the bag gets your gear to the site, how comfortable it is all day, and how you feel about putting it all back in the bag the next morning to hike to the next site.

Easy to load, easy to pack, nice on my back. My feet are sore, but my back, shoulders, and hips are all just fine. I can’t think of anything better to recommend a backpack than that. It is a breeze to access gear and the only thing I’d like to see is perhaps some hip-belt pockets. Which are available for an extra fee.

The bag is clearly more focused on hunting, but I feel that they left no stone unturned making this comfortable for hikers too.

Finally: Value

What are you really getting for your money?

Here’s the deal – $400 to $500 is what you’re going to spend for any INCH pack worth having. That’s just economics – and with a lifetime warranty and an expectation of 10+ years of use easily, it’s really about $50 a year for a bag. That’s not much. Arc’Teryx wants $480 for their Altra 75, Mystery Ranch expects $600 for the Marshall, even Osprey – made in Vietnam – asks $330 for the Xenith 75.

Price and build wise, Black’s Creek stands easily with them all, and is made right here in the USA. Idaho, to be specific. The Grip frame is either a $250 investment which allows you to swap out several different packs, or just an excellent part of a frame depending on perspective. Only the Mystery Ranch pack of that whole list allows you to swap out packs, meaning that on features alone those two companies are ahead of the pack when it comes to future proofing and versatility.

In my considered opinion – you are paying a very small premium for a US Made backpack that leads on features, durability, and quality. All you are losing is some trendy gadgets that were designed to appeal to bored latte drinkers at Outdoor Gear shows.

]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/blacks-creek-remedy-7-solution/feed/0Coming StormMBA rainy monsoon-filled weekend in northern AZAntidote adjustmentThis daypack unclips from the Remedy 7 Solution to make it easier to take water and essentials around without lugging your whole packThe Black's Creek Grip frame is the underlaying load hauler for the bigger packs, as well as being designed to carry large game quarters. Deer, Elk, possibly even larger.Out during a monsoon with the Black's Creek Remedy 7 Solution pack. Room for everything and then someOut for a hike with the Remedy 7 SolutionTeton Sports Outfitter XXLhttps://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-outfitter-xxl/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-outfitter-xxl/#respondTue, 05 Jan 2016 00:42:42 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=24Continue reading Teton Sports Outfitter XXL]]>Looking for a lightweight one-person tent that sets up fast? This time, I’m reviewing the Teton Sports Outfitter XXL Quick Tent. It could just be the gear you’re looking for.

There’s several options out there right now for 1 person tents, and I’ve slept in quite a few. Not many of them set up quite like this one, and the optional cot for the Outfitter XXL is pretty unusual as well. So – on to the review.

This tent weighs just 1.9 kg (4.3 lbs) and costs just about $89 on Amazon, which puts it right in the center of the price range as one person tents go. The weight is a bit high for a 1 person tent, and we’ll talk all about that in a minute. First, the manufacturer specs:

Dimensions: 82″ x 39″ x 32″

Packed Dimensions: 25″ x 8″ x 5″

Pack Weight: 4.3 lbs

Shell: 75D Taffeta 2000mm PU

Capacity: 1 person

Doors: 1

Color: Yellow / Orange

Pole System: Quick -up System III

Rainfly included

Ground cloth *not* included – and required

Out hiking with the Teton Sports Hiker 3700 pack and Outfitter XXL quick tent. The tent straps on nicely, not adding much bulk

As you can see, the bright yellow tent fits loosely in the bag (always nice to have extra room – especially since you’ll need a groundcloth), and it’s the same height as the Teton Sports Hiker 3700. This makes for pretty good ergonomics when strapped on the side of the pack like that. It’s not cumbersome or unwieldy, and therefore it gives you a pretty good packing experience.

Setup:

When it comes time to set up camp this tent is fairly unique. It’s closer to setting up a bivvy than a regular tent on account of Teton Sports’ Quick-up System III. Basically, you unfold the “arms”, then just pull up on the cord at the top. That’s about it – a fully erected tent in moments. To unfold, you carefully push down where indicated and pull up on the cord and the tent collapses quickly down and you’re back in the bag in no time.

The clever quick release at the heart of the Outfitter XXL tent

We naturally loved this feature on our testing, despite nearly getting caught in the mechanism a few times. It’s clever – perhaps too clever, but nothing is fun without a few risks.

This tent includes a rain-fly, of course, and that was also pretty easy to attach. Nothing really to make a fuss over.

Space:

For a 1 person tent, there was excellent space. Our testers are both about 6′ tall, and neither had issues with the tent. It doesn’t feel constrained inside, and there’s even room for a full size pack and your boots if you don’t mind sacrificing some leg room. I felt the tent could stand to be a little longer, since my head and feet were in contact with the material and would certainly get a bit damp if there was more than just a bit of dew.

Amenities:

Here is where I feel Teton Sports falls a bit short with this tent. There is no “loft” at the top, no pockets inside for the usual small items such as a mobile phone, GPS, or glasses, and it feels like all the cost is basically just for the quick setup. The bottom is not reinforced and so you’ll need to have a good solid groundcloth every time you use this tent.

Value:

When you look at various 1 person tent options, you’ll see that it runs from about $60 to $280, with a few crazy tents on the far edges. The average is about $150. At $89, the Teton Sports Outfitter XXL is on the lower end of the price range and has competitive features. As usual, Teton Sports punches above their class with their gear.

That said, I don’t feel that this tent is an especially good value. I would recommend you either go up a bit to the Mountain Ultra 1/Mountain Ultra 2, or go with a bivvy. The Mountain Ultra 1 is lighter, packs smaller, and is only slightly more expensive at $128. This tent is mostly novelty… unless you have the cot.

Out with the Teton Sports Outfitter XXL Quick Tent and Outfitter XXL Camp Cot.Doing some testing on the tent, the cot+tent combo, and the tent vs bivvy for quick one-person use

So, let’s talk about the cot for a moment. The Outfitter XXL camp cot is actually pretty impressive. It has just about the best strength to weight rating of any camp cot I could find, it’s surprisingly large when set up, and of course has this neat tent designed just for it. This is not a piece of backpacking gear, however. It weighs almost 12kg (26lbs) and is a fairly enormous size when packed. Taking up the entire back of my Jeep with one cot is quite a luxury. I would be in favor of this cot for any long-term base camp though. It’s really comfortable. It’s $110, which is a great price for a long-term usage cot.

There are some issues. The rainfly doesn’t adequately protect the cot, so you’ll wake up in a puddle, and it will seep into the tent floor. There’s no way to keep the airflow out from underneath it, so it get very cold at night, colder than being on the actual ground.

If you’re building a long term site – say, for a hunting expedition – this cot is the way to go. Perhaps with the Outfitter XXL tent – perhaps not.

UPDATE! Teton Sports now has a full rainfly that will keep the tent and cot dry! $30 add-on that will help you build a great long-term camp experience

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-outfitter-xxl/feed/0Testing the Outfitter XXLMBOut hiking with the Teton Sports Hiker 3700 pack and Outfitter XXL quick tent. The tent straps on nicely, not adding much bulkQuick ReleaseOut with the Outfitter XXLKobo vs Kindle vs Nookhttps://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/kobo-vs-kindle-vs-nook/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/kobo-vs-kindle-vs-nook/#commentsTue, 05 Jan 2016 00:40:23 +0000http://gearguides.net/?p=20Continue reading Kobo vs Kindle vs Nook]]>This is a bit different than my other reviews, because this time I’m focusing on more than just a piece of simple equipment. Once you start adding bits and bytes, platforms and “software ecosystems”, you seem to leave behind the cut-and-dried world of “does it work”. Or do you?

First – I’ll give you a quick run-down of the actual devices. Then I will explain the broader picture – but I’ve put the parts most important to me last to avoid boring folks who don’t share my views.

Kindle: Amazon will be represented by the Kindle 6 and Paperwhite.$139 unless you like being constantly subjected to ads (which had a noticeable impact on battery life).
Specs per Manufacturer:

6″ e-ink touchscreen, 758 x 1024, 212 DPI

Holds thousands of books and lighter than a paperback (2GB/4GB depending on version, 212g)

Battery lasts weeks, not hours

Download books in less than 60 seconds with built-in Wi-Fi

Cover is an extra $40, power adapter an extra $18

Kobo: Kobo will be represented by the Kobo Aura H2O.$179, or $99 without the water/dust proofing.
Specs per Manufacturer:

Nook: Barnes and Noble will be represented by the Simple Touch and GlowLight. $99.
Specs per Manufacturer:

6″ e-ink touchscreen, 758 x 1024, 212 DPI

Holds up to 2,000 books (4GB)

165 x 127 x 10.68mm, 175.7g

Battery lasts up to 8 weeks on a single charge

Cover is an extra $20, power adapter included

This review will be quite thorough, and cover these sections: Outdoor Readability, Build, Comfort,Usability,Value, Selection. This has been conducted by 3 different people over the last 6 months in conditions ranging from daily use to multi-week trips. Some of these devices didn’t even survive the full testing, so I had to generalize in some cases. More on that soon.

On to the Review!

First: Outdoor Readability

If you can’t read it outdoors, you might just as well take a book.

All 3 devices boast about outdoor readability compared to a regular active display (in this case a Samsung Galaxy Tab S). In overcast conditions this is certainly true, but in sunny weather, there are definitely some differences. The Galaxy Tab S is clearly unreadable, even with a specialized outdoor case. It’s actually worse without the case. These images have only been manipulated for sizing/exif, so you can zoom in to get a good feel for relative contrast and sharpness.

All 3 e-readers can honestly say they are much better than a normal tablet, and all 3 are pretty clear. I find that the Kindle (either version) has some slight artifacts compared to the other two devices.

Cover view for the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, and Galaxy Tab S.

Outdoor Readability Winner: Tie

This one is a 3-way tie. You really can’t go wrong with any of these e-readers outdoors.

Second: Build

Build quality is everyone’s favorite place to nitpick, and be subjective. Not this time.

There’s really no comparing these 3 devices on build quality. It’s actually pretty clear that there are two classes of device, regardless of price. The Nook and Kindle are nearly identical in build and hardware despite the Kindle being $40 more. The Kobo H2O is in a league of its own, as it should be for being $80 more than the Nook and $40 more than the Kindle.

All 3 devices are plastic and have e-ink touchscreens. All 3 have illuminated screens for night time use. All 3 have wi-fi, and micro-USB connections. On top of this, the Kobo has fully certified water and dust protection, nearly an inch more screen, higher dots per inch, higher resolution, a microSD slot for 64GB of additional books, support for more languages, and 2 months of battery life. That’s just the differences on paper. Once you get off the specs and into the real world, the differences become enormous.

Kobo and Nook side by side:

Nook vs Kobo, the screen resolution and DPI stands out.

Kobo and Kindle side by side:

Kobo vs Kindle, again the screen size, DPI, and sharpness stands out.

Kindle and Nook side by side:

Nook and Kindle side by side – virtually identical

We conducted over 6 months of book testing with these devices, and the results were staggering. There are definitely glare and odd shadow issues with the Kindle and Nook e-ink displays, and they have fairly uneven lighting. This creates “zones” that are brighter than others, almost like a cheap watch. The Kobo and Nook both lived up to their claims on battery life – averaging 7-8 weeks of actual reading depending on screenlight use. That’s with wi-fi off, screen illumination as needed over multiple charge cycles. The Kindle Paperwhite never once lasted longer than 2 weeks even with light and wifi off. The Kindle never really powers off, unlike the other two devices. It just stays on and runs itself down even while “sleeping”. The impact of this is really noticeable. The Kindle non-paperwhite we replaced it with lived up to 3 weeks, though of course it has no screen light. Both the Nook Glowlight and the Kindle Paperwhite had device failures during the 6 months of testing and were replaced.

What good is an extra $40 in your pocket if your reader is out of power or just can’t hold up to the use? We had to replace both the Kindle and Nook during this testing period, and we weren’t even trying to be hard on them. Plus, the screen is noticeably better, bigger, and sharper, without having a much larger device.

Third: Comfort

Screen quality, reading quality, illumination, portability. How comfortable and easy is it to stare at this device for hours on end while reading?

For comfort points, I found the soft rubbery edges on the Nook Glowlight to be very comfortable. Once it had a case on it (required to survive the rigors of a backpack), they all evened out for me. The higher contrast and resolution on the Kobo combined with the better daylight performance and a very even illumination really made a difference on my eyes. I often switched between devices depending on which vendor had a book I wanted to read (more on that later), so I would be reading late into the evening on a Kindle one night, then a Kobo the next, then a Nook the next day. All 3 screens are vastly superior to the screen of my tablet for long use. Even when I had the color scheme set to inverted. The only place a tablet really surpassed them was the ability to access all the bookstores at once. Well, and color, obviously.

For me, the Kobo edges ahead slightly here due to the screen, but here’s another tester’s experiences:

“I do prefer the feel and sharpness of text for the Kobo ahead of both kindle and nook. I have owned my nook for a looong time, and would swear by it, but the kobo just slightly delivers a better reading experience. I would rather not discuss the kindle, as it is less than note-worthy, and would probably involve a four letter word. It’s uncomfortable, badly designed, and at best on par with a nook”

It’s really just that much more comfortable on the eyes. Even if you play with the settings menus on the other devices, you can’t make up for the difference. To me, it’s the difference between newsprint and laserprint. It’s really that big.

Fourth: Usability

What is this e-reader like to live with in the real world?

This one is the easiest for me, because I spend so much time on the trail. I’m with my e-reader nearly every day, and I swapped out on occasion to test different brands to see what suited me best.

All 3 are light and easy to pack, powered by micro USB, and work well far from the constraints of the big city. Only the Nook and the Kobo were able to read my substantial library of ePubs and PDFs properly, however. I have collected thousands of Public Domain books over the years, as well as a number of DRM-free comics in PDF format. With the Kindle, it is remotely possible to go through some steps to side-load content onto your device, but it does a terrible job of working with it. This means you’re basically locked into the Amazon Kindle store which is precisely what Amazon wants. It also does weird things if it can’t update the ads on schedule. You get odd little messages, the banners misbehave, and the device goes through power suspiciously fast when its far from the paved world.

The Kobo was the easiest to load my 12GB book library onto. I simply copied my books from Calibre and my tablet onto a microSD card and plugged it in. A few minutes later it was fully loaded and ready to go. The Nook Glowlight was a bit more involved – I had to plug it directly into a PC to copy books across, and they’re placed in a sort of My Documents DMZ. Usable, but I wasn’t able to download new books from my phone and onto the Nook in the field. I tended to prefer the old Nook Simple Touch, which has a microSD slot.

If you are already invested in ebooks, you definitely want to avoid the Kindle. It’s locked into such an abusive relationship with the Amazon store that it makes Apple products look free and easy.

These two are pretty much identical in overall ease of use. Really, nothing was as complicated to put my books on as a Kindle, and nothing was as difficult to work with, as prone to crashing, or as short of battery.

Fifth: Value

What are you really getting for all that money?

This one is a bit subjective. If you are an occasional reader and stick mostly to best-sellers, the Nook Glowlight is by far the best value. Barnes and Noble has a good device here. It supports the basic document formats, syncs reliably with both B&N and your existing ebook library (or any other docs you might want to read), and has great battery life.

If you are a voracious reader, you’ll probably want to base your opinion entirely on Selection.

I could go on – but I won’t. It’s been the topic of articles in Forbes, Salon, and more. There’s literally 10s of thousands of truly awful books on Amazon before you even count the 200,000 Public Domain books that have been re-packaged for Kindle use. This isn’t unique to Amazon, but keep it in mind when you look at Amazon’s numbers.

B&N and Kobo still have a few spam titles, though a lot fewer. What they *do* have, however, is easy access to Feedbooks,Smashwords, Project Gutenberg, and every single Public Domain book ever published world wide, not just the ones published via Amazon. On top of already having all the same big-name publisher titles. All three devices also have magazine subscriptions to most popular titles, so you can have Bike Magazine, or Backpacker, or even Playboy delivered wirelessly to your reader. All 3 can also read library books, provided they have the right format available.

This means that for you the reader, you can put nearly any book you like on a Kobo or Nook, and you’re not limited to what one single company is willing to sell you. When all 3 companies inevitably move on, only Kobo and Nook will still work. If you think that’s unlikely, try getting new books for your Sony or Microsoft Reader. The list of dead readers is much longer than that of active ones, and one thing is clear – supporting open formats like EPUB helps keep your reader out of the dustbin of history.

Between B&N and Kobo, I find that Barnes and Noble has a bit broader selection while Kobo makes it much easier to download and back up the books you already bought.

The selection on Barnes and Noble is excellent, probably edging a bit ahead of Kobo. With the Kindle store dominated by best-selling self-published creepy erotica titles, the odds are good that if someone is reading a Kindle, they’re reading something weird.

For overall points, absolutely go with the Nook. I personally carry a Kobo Aura H2O with me everywhere, because the IP67 water/dustproofing and the nicer screen are a big deal – but the extra $80 over the cost of the Nook Glowlight certainly makes it a less obvious choice. You can’t find a great case to water/dustproof the other devices without boosting the bulk and the cost by a fair margin.

Quick update to include my recent experience with the Kindle Fire:

For the love of everything you hold dear, do NOT buy a Kindle Fire. In my opinion, they are the worst device made in recent history.

They have really poor viewing angle, no daylight (or even strong light) readability, really obnoxious screen illumination glare. It’s slow, choked with bloatware, and the one I have here can’t keep an internet connection for longer then a few minutes, and can’t even successfully download an entire book.

You can’t load competing apps on it without going through hoops and paying more, and the battery life is mediocre at best. There isn’t one single thing about this device I’d recommend to anyone, at any price.

If you’re so poor that you can’t afford a better reader, just borrow one from a library for free, or buy paper books.

Do not subject yourself or animals or even enemies to the Kindle Fire.

Now – onto the part that’s most important to me.

I travel extensively in my line of work. I’m sure many of you do as well, so I’m sure you all understand the challenges of having a good library to pick from. The trouble is, when you pass the point of simply taking a quick vacation in the outdoors and move on to spending weeks or months on the move, secondary factors become important.

Like books.

It’s easy enough to toss a few (or few dozen) books on any given portable electronic device and head out for the weekend. What do you do, however, when you’re embracing travel as a lifestyle? It’s hard to say goodbye to some of the comforts of home, and many of your worldly possessions seem absolutely irreplaceable. A hotel or a friend’s couch here and there can fill that need for the most part.

Books, however – there’s a tricky thing. I grew up a voracious reader, reading everything I could get my hands on. I was raised to treasure books, even when our family was homeless I always had at least a couple. I never regarded them as irreplaceable works of art, however, and the interesting fact is that some of them actually are. Not even obvious ones!

Moving into the 21st Century, our culture has been taught that everything is disposable, replaceable; that new is better than old. Remakes, reboots, remixes. Vinyl to 8 track to cassette to CD to MP3. It’s a common thread. For some reason, this wave of “progress” has actually had the effect of dramatically paring down the works that move along. Through copyright laws, publishing/production houses going out of business, and simple economics, we’ve left a huge percentage of our culture and our artworks on the wrong bank of the river of progress. Each time we’ve changed mediums, decisions were made about what to bring and what to leave. The old has rapidly become obsolete and forgotten. What’s been taken across the river of change isn’t always what’s best – sometimes it’s just what was currently popular. Neon, polyester leisure wear, and giant shoulder pads prove that being popular isn’t the same thing as being good.

We are now doing our very first broad scale medium change for books, and what’s being left behind literally dwarfs what’s being brought along. I sit right now next to a 6′ shelf of books, none of which are available from *any* digital store. You can’t have these on your Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iPad, or Android device at any price. Nobody sells them. Many of them aren’t even old – certainly not old enough to legally scan yourself.

Quick examples of recent books, totally unavailable as ebooks:

Roadside Geology of Arizona – in fact, this entire series. Print only, great books. Very interesting and useful. Travelling? Better save room for the paperbacks.

Haynes/Chilton repair manuals – Good luck finding these incredibly useful books in anything but print. There’s a pricey website sub, but it requires a printer and isn’t mobile friendly.

Obviously, there’s many more – enough for said 6′ bookcase and its 3 fully loaded companions. Not all of them are so immediately useful, some are simply very good stories by prominent authors such as Roger Zelazny, Isaac Asimov, or Ray Bradbury. Hardly small time names – but good luck finding some of their less popular titles in your local library or bookstore. Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber is one of my all-time favorites, and yet it’s somehow all but vanished. Spider Robinson’s Callahan Chronicles are a sure pick-me-up when I’m down, but only a few stories have made it to digital.

Is this really the bright future we want? Or is it simply the one we’re left with?

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]]>https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/kobo-vs-kindle-vs-nook/feed/2nook-vs-kobo-vs-kindle-reviewMBOut on the trail, taking a break to sit in the warm sunlight and read a book.Cover view for the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, and Galaxy Tab S.Nook vs Kobo, the screen resolution and DPI stands out.Kobo vs Kindle, again the screen size, DPI, and sharpness stands out.Nook and Kindle side by side - virtually identicalTeton Sports Oasis 1200https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-oasis-1200/
https://gearguides.net/2016/01/05/teton-sports-oasis-1200/#respondTue, 05 Jan 2016 00:30:56 +0000http://gearguidesnet.wordpress.com/?p=16Continue reading Teton Sports Oasis 1200]]>Today I’m finally doing a gear review for one of my all-time favorite pieces of go-anywhere gear. The Teton Sports Oasis 1200. Versatile, light, and cheap, this review will cover the highs (and some lows) of this useful daypack.

Anyone who has seen my photos has likely seen one version or another of this daypack present. Every one of my family and friends has at least one of these great packs. It’s pretty clear that generally speaking I’m a fan. However, I’ve never gotten around to do a proper critical review of it… until now.

Weighing in at 1 kg (2.25 lbs) and going for about $60 on Amazon, this is a 19.65L 1,200 CI small daypack. It comes with a built-in rainfly, 3L hydration bladder, and in Blue/Gray or Black/Orange.
Basic specs from the manufacturer:

600D Dobby / 210D Polyester

Pack Weight: 2.25 lbs (1kg)

Hydration Capacity: 101-Ounce (3 Liter) Bladder Included

Capacity: 1200 Cubic Inches / 20 Liters

Waist Belt: 26″ – 60″

Torso Length:

Dimensions: 19.5″ x 12″ x 9.5″

This pack fills the spot of a normal daypack – it transitions from school to shopping, from camping to car trips, and from mountain biking to morning coffee runs. Everyone uses a daypack a bit differently.

The first heavy usage of myOasis 1200 (in Black/Orange) was a bikepacking trip from Arizona to the Valley of Fire in central Nevada. This trip was several hundred miles, and I used my Oasis 1200 mainly for water and emergency gear. I kept the bulk of the weight in a pair of Ortleib bike panniers. It was comfortable to wear for long periods of time on the bike, never chafing or rubbing to any real degree even in the heat. The water routing is excellent, the pack was able to handle all of my usual emergency gear, and it kept the weight of my camera off my neck.

My usual load out for mountain biking is fairly modest. Just the basics.

The Oasis 1200 handles this easily, better than my old Camelbak MULE NV did, and for quite a bit less money. Nearly $40 less. The biggest challenge by far for me is moving around a weighty full-size DSLR. Obviously, that’s vital to my work, but no fun to carry around all day on a bike. What I do is thread the camera bag strap through the hanging loop on my backpack, then let the pack distribute the load instead of my neck. The success of this method depends on pack design – and one of the really big “wins” for the Oasis 1200 is how well this works. The Osprey pack I used briefly didn’t work with this at all.

It’s easy to manage a full overnight load in Oasis 1200, unlike with most other daypacks I’ve used. The only thing that doesn’t fit inside is a sleeping bag, which I put on my bike directly or strap to the pack.

The biggest win for this pack in my book came when I had a really ugly spill while doing a 100 mile trek on the AZ Trail from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon.

That particular trail has a lot of climbing. The terrain ranges from alpine meadows to dense forest, to sandy/rocky stretches. My front wheel failed during this stretch, and I took a severe impact in my chest (sufficient to break a camera lens) and was tossed onto some ugly sharp rocks. The Teton Sports Oasis 1200 packed with all my gear took the worst of that impact, saving my back. The pack survived this with hardly more than some scuffing. I was able to strap my bike to my pack and carry it the remaining 10 miles to an extraction point. The durability of that pack is beyond question.

Probably the best feature is the waterproofing. Arizona is a dry state by and large – and even though I’ve taken this pack over most of the Southwest, it’s still not a terribly wet area. The waterproofing and included rainfly allows to me to take the bag without worry, even when I have been surprised by the occasional downpour or thunderstorm. It’s an excellent feature, and one that’s missing from far too many daypacks.

Second Opinion: “I use my Teton Sports Oasis 1200 for everything–around town and on camping trips. I use the nylon compression straps to hook on grocery bags, and it carries the weight. I also have packed it full of books (around a dozen) on library runs, and have carried 50+ pounds about 5 miles in it with little problem. It can carry a weekend of clothing for cool-weather camping (including long underwear and a hoodie), plus two liters of water for the weekend in its side mesh pouches. This bag has replaced my need for a purse and for shopping bags on small grocery trips. It’s held together for two years with no visible wear. All It has is a little bit of staining on the front mesh pocket. This is a tough little bag I would recommend to parents looking for a student backpack, because I believe it will last a year (or more!) of real wear-and-tear. I just wish it came in pink.”

Build – Build quality is excellent for a bag under $100. The little touches like the rain fly, excellent water reservoir routing, small gear organizer pouch, expansion/compression straps, built in whistle, and side pockets really put it into a class by itself. No issues with zips or pulls so far, and even after 2 years there’s nothing broken.

Comfort – The padding is excellent, there’s plenty of ventilation, the load lifter straps (a bit unusual on a day pack), and the well-shaped straps mean that I have been able to comfortably carry this pack loaded with everything from snowshoes to an actual mountain bike.

Performance – The pack fits close to your back and rides nice and high up. It is out of the way of your arms when climbing or biking, and stands up well to the abuse from volcanic rocks and scrapes. It handles being overloaded quite well for such a small pack and is great when compressed down for around town jaunts.

Hiking – This pack is really in its element when hiking. Totally at home on everything from quick trails to overnight jaunts. It has plenty of room for water and some self-rescue gear.

Value – Hands down, this pack is a great value for the money. I have thrown over twice as much at a pack before that barely lasted one season, while this one has lasted me 2 so far. It includes an adequate water bladder and rain fly.